Senate committees pass energy laws
PRD senators abandon debate, allege ‘dirty procedure’
BY VÍCTOR MAYÉN
The News
MEXICO CITY – The Senate made history Tuesday when in a record time of two hours and five minutes the United Committees of Energy and First Legislative Studies approved the four drafts of the secondary laws that will regulate the constitutional reform in the energy field.
These committees endorsed the 200 reservations the National Action Party (PAN) made <200B><200B>to drafts that modified the original proposals that President Enrique Peña Nieto turned over to Chamber on April 30.
Among the major changes:
The replacement of the term “expropriation” by “temporary occupation” for exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons, especially for the extraction of “shale” gas.
The elimination of general electricity subsidies implemented and focused on protecting the poorer classes of the country when the electricity market is opened.
Prices of petrol and diesel will be opened on January 1, 2018 rather than January 1, 2020, or even possibly sooner if conditions permit.
The appointment of the directors of Pemex and the Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) will be held on the proposal of the federal government, with the ratification given by a super-majority in the Senate. If they are rejected twice in the senate, the third appointment will be made by the president directly.
The Senators of the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD) abandoned the United Committees of Energy and First Legislative Studies session blaming the dirty procedure in the discussion and voting on the drafts. The PRD senators also refused the chairman of the commiittee David Penchyna Grub who included the new drafts to the reforms.
On behalf of the caucus, Senator Robledo Zoé Aburto, also secretary of the First Legislative Study Committee stood up on the podium and announced the withdrawal of the party from the discussions.
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